San Jose: Juvenile suspect in deadly crime spree set to be arraigned this week

SAN JOSE -- A 15-year-old boy who spent seven days on the lam is to be arraigned this week for allegations he was half of a stickup duo in a Nov. 16 crime spree that killed a Campbell man and "rained down" bullets on a police officer.

As of Monday, the District Attorney's Office had not decided whether the boy -- whose name has not been released by authorities -- will be charged as an adult in connection with a string of crimes where they allegedly robbed four San Jose businesses, killed 22-year-old Rory Park-Pettiford during a carjacking attempt, then shot and wounded a San Jose officer while trying to escape.

The teen is expected to be arraigned no later than Wednesday.

The boy's alleged partner, 26-year-old San Jose resident Jonathan Dawson Wilbanks, was arrested after a gunfight during which he was shot twice by a second officer. He was arraigned but did not enter a plea to charges of murder with special circumstances, attempted murder of a peace officer, four counts of second-degree robbery, assault with a firearm on an officer and receiving a stolen vehicle. Wilbanks is being held without bail in Santa Clara County Jail.

Authorities say Wilbanks and the 15-year-old robbed four San Jose businesses that evening before going to a 7-Eleven on South Kiely Avenue where they tried to carjack Park-Pettiford. As the victim tried to start his car, he was shot and killed, and the pair fled.

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Their car was spotted by a San Jose patrolman who followed it to Tully Road and Lanai Avenue. At a red light, they got out and opened fire on the officer as he sat in his car, blocked in by traffic. The 10-year veteran was wounded multiple times but gave chase with a backup officer who returned fire and wounded Wilbanks, who was eventually cornered and arrested in a home near Reid-Hillview Airport.

The juvenile suspect jumped out of the car during the chase, and eluded capture for a week before he was tracked to an apartment in Concord.

The charges against Wilbanks make him eligible for the death penalty, but prosecutors have not decided whether they will pursue that. The 15-year-old boy is being held in Juvenile Hall awaiting formal charges.